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What if DreamWorks Pictures/DreamWorks Animation was founded in 1934?/Joseph: King of Dreams
Joseph: King of Dreams is a 2000 American animated biblical musical drama film and the first direct-to-video release from DreamWorks Pictures. The film is an adaptation of the story of Joseph from the Book of Genesis in the Bible and serves as a prequel to the 1998 film The Prince of Egypt. Composer Daniel Pelfrey said "the film was designed as a companion piece to Prince of Egypt...Of course, Joseph turned out to be very different than Prince of Egypt, very challenging and rewarding". It is paired with The Road to El Dorado, Chicken Run, The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus, and Casper's Haunted Christmas. Co-director Robert Ramirez has said that whilst the reviews for the film had "generally been very good" there was a period "when the film was not working very well, when the storytelling was heavy-handed" and "klunky". Plot Joseph is the youngest of Jacob's eleven sons and the favorite child of his father's as his mother, Rachel, was thought to be barren; thus inciting his brothers' jealousy when Joseph grows conceited and arrogant when constantly pampered by his parents such as receiving a multicolored coat from his father. One night, Joseph dreams that the sheep his brothers are tending to are attacked by wolves who slew the flock's ram. When he tells his family, his brothers deny it and soon trick Joseph to look after the flock while they go swimming. However, a wolf pack attacks the flock and Joseph is nearly killed protecting a lamb until Jacob saves him. Jacob becomes furious that Joseph was abandoned by his brothers, and amazed that Joseph's dream about the wolf attack and the ram's death came true. Judah, the eldest of the brothers and their leader, merely denies this, though secretly frightened by this. The next night, Joseph dreams that his brothers each carry sheaves of wheat that bow to Joseph's gigantic sheaf, and that he is a brilliant star surrounded by ten smaller stars and the sun and the moon; and Jacob predicts that Joseph shall supersede his brothers. Annoyed and jealous, the latter retreat to a cave and determine to do away with Joseph. Joseph overhears this, and the brothers tear his cloak and hurl him into a pit until nightfall. When withdrawn, Joseph is sold to slave traders, and thence into Egypt, while his brothers tell their father that he was killed by wolves. In Egypt, Joseph is made the servant of the Egyptian Pharaoh Potiphar, and gradually becomes his personal attendant after Joseph stops a shifty horse trader from conning more money from Potiphar. Joseph befriends Asenath, the beautiful daughter of Potiphar, and proves himself an asset to the pharaoh. However, Potiphar's wife Zuleika tries to seduce Joseph and is denied by him; so she lies to Potiphar that Joseph attempted to seduce her. Potiphar orders Joseph's death; but when his wife intervenes, he realises that Joseph is not guilty and therefore imprisons him instead. While imprisoned, Joseph interprets the dreams of the royal butler and bakerwho are also prisoners: that the butler will return to his position at the palace in three days, and the baker will be put to death in three days. Joseph asks the butler to tell thePharaoh Rameses I about his talent and offer of help, to secure a release from prison. The butler promises to tell Pharaoh but forgets; while Asenath supplies food to Joseph regularly. When the Pharaoh Rameses I is haunted by nightmares and is told by the butler that Joseph can interpret them, he sends Potiphar to retrieve Joseph, who interprets the pharaoh's dreams as warnings of 7 years of feast, followed by 7 years of famine caused by a drought, and suggests that one-fifth of each year's crops be kept for rationing. Impressed, the Pharaoh makes Joseph his minister, under the name "Zaphnath-Paaneah". In the following years, Joseph's plan saves Egypt from starvation. Joseph marries Asenath and has two children with her, a daughter and then a son. Eventually, his brothers arrive in Egypt to buy food, as they are running out, and do not recognise Joseph, who denies them their offers of purchase, accuses them of espionage, and has Simeon imprisoned, and says that they will only get there brother back if they prove that they have their youngest brother Benjamin. Questioned by Asenath, he reveals his past. The next day the brothers reappear with a young man named Benjamin, who is Joseph's almost identical younger brother. Simeon is released and Joseph asks Benjamin about his family; to learn that his mother, Rachel, is dead, and his own death presumed. Joseph invites the brothers to a feast and has his own golden chalice concealed in Benjamin's bag while no one is looking; and upon its discovery, orders that Benjamin be enslaved as part of a test to see if his brothers had changed. He is astonished when his older brothers offer themselves instead, as losing another son would surely cause their elderly father to die from heartbreak. Grief-stricken and ashamed, Judah confesses having sold Joseph himself due to jealousy and it has haunted him and his brothers ever since. Touched by their honesty and genuine love for Benjamin, Joseph identifies himself to them, reconciles and invites them and their families to live in a nearby village and makes his brothers head of the food rationing. Shortly after, he is happily reunited with his father, and meets the wives and children of his brothers. Cast * Ben Affleck - Joseph speaking voice ** David Campbell - Joseph singing voice * Mark Hamill - Judah * Richard Herd - Jacob speaking voice ** Russell Buchanan - Jacob singing voice * Maureen McGovern - Rachel * Jodi Benson - Asenath * Judith Light - Zuleika * James Eckhouse - Potiphar * Richard McGonagle - Rameses I * Dan Castellaneta - Auctioneer, Horse Trader * René Auberjonois - Butler * Ken Campbell - Baker * Steven Weber - Simeon, Slave Trader * Jess Harnell - Issachar / Lead Trader * Piera Coppola - Zuleika's servant, Additional Voices * Emily Eby - Servant * Matt Levin - Benjamin Production Conception and The Prince of Egypt Early work Screening and production troubles A new vision Cracking the story Casting and approach to characters Music Score Songs Release As DreamWorks Animation's first direct-to-video film, Joseph: King of Dreams was released by DreamWorks Home Entertainment on DVD and VHS on November 7, 2000. Special features included "Sing-a-long songs, storybook read-a-long programming, an interactive trivia game, and printable activity and coloring sheets". The film was released by DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment on Blu-ray on May 13, 2014, as part of a triple film set, along with DreamWorks Animation's The Road to El Dorado and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. The film was re-released by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on DVD on February 1, 2018 without the DreamWorks Home Entertainment label and on June 5, 2018 under the DreamWorks Home Entertainment label. The direct-to-video film was "made available to Christian retailers, but mainly will be sold in traditional retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target and video stores". The sale success of Joseph was to some degree influence whether more animated Bible stories would be released by DreamWorks. As of 2018, Prince and Joseph have been the only two. Book tie-ins Critical reception Awards and nominations Differences from the Bible